DOUBLE TRAGEDY.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XXXV, Issue 1116, 1 July 1913, Page 4

DOUBLE TRAGEDY.

AT MAORI PAH. SWIFT RETRIBUTION. Wanganux, June 29, Information has reached Wanganui of a sensational affair at Ore Ore, thirteen miles from Raetihi, in which a Maori woman was murdered and the slayer has himself been slain. It appears that a man named Joe Graham had for some time been living with a Maori woman named Hirita Tenata. They fell out on Friday, and Graham left, intending to go to a neighbour’s place. Yesterday Hirita’s aunt and sister saw him return with his swag as if going to Raetihi.

Some time afterwards they heard a shot from the direction of the house in which Graham was wont to live, so they went over. They found Graham in the bedroom, and on their going in he endeavoured to hide the dead body of his companion by standing between it and the intruders. Graham had shot Hirita with a pea rifle. Roused to fury at the sight, deceased’s sister took up a heavy crosscut saw, and savagely attacked Graham, inflicting frightful injuries on his head. This was about 2 30 on Saturday afternoon.

On receipt of information of the tragedy, Constable Mcßae and a doctor left Raetihi for the scene, but within ten or fifteen minutes of their arrival Graham died, without being able to give an account of the affair.

An inquest will be opened at Ohakune on Monday, but will probably be adjourned. The murderess j will appear before the court at Raetihi, where a sitting is to be held soon.